Gripping device and system comprising a gripping device

Abstract

The invention relates to a gripping device (12) comprising a main body (58) which can be coupled to a robot, at least one adapter portion (66, 67) which is movable on the main body along a gripping axis (42), and at least one gripping element (38, 39) which can be detachably locked to the adapter portion, wherein the adapter portion comprises a locking mechanism (68a, 68b) having at least one locking element (70a, 70b) which, in a locking position, locks the gripping element to the adapter portion, wherein an unlocking element (76a, 76b) is arranged on the main body, and wherein the locking mechanism can be moved along the gripping axis into an unlocking position in which the unlocking element transfers the locking element from its locking position into a release position in which the gripping element can be detached from the adapter portion.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A gripping apparatus ( 12 ) comprising a base member ( 58 ) which can be connected to a robot ( 14 ), at least one adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) which is movable on the base member ( 58 ) along a gripping axis ( 42 ), and at least one gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) which can be releasably locked on the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ), wherein the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) comprises a locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) having at least one locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) which locks the gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) to the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) in a locking position,
 wherein the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) can be moved along the gripping axis ( 42 ) into an unlocking position in which the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) can be moved out of the locking position into a release position, in which the gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) can be released from the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ),
 wherein 
 the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) has a drive unit ( 102 ) for driving the at least one adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) and the at least one gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) along the gripping axis ( 42 ) in such a manner that the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) can be moved into the unlocking position, wherein an unlocking element ( 76   a ,  76   b ) is arranged on the base member ( 58 ), 
   and wherein the unlocking element ( 76   a ,  76   b ) in the unlocking position of the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) contacts the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) and moves the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) out of the locking position into the release position.   
     
     
         21 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) has a monitoring device ( 106 ) which monitors the location and/or position of the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) and/or the location and/or position of the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) and/or the presence of a gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) on the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ). 
     
     
         22 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) comprises a control device ( 104 ), wherein the control device ( 104 ) is configured to control the drive unit ( 102 ) and/or the monitoring device ( 106 ). 
     
     
         23 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the unlocking position of the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) corresponds to an end or reversal position of the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) along the gripping axis ( 42 ). 
     
     
         24 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the locking device comprises a pretensioning element which urges the locking element into the locking position. 
     
     
         25 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) has at least one stop ( 90 ) which is arranged on the base member ( 58 ) and which limits a movement path of the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ). 
     
     
         26 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) can be moved during a movement between the locking position and the release position along a movement axis ( 74   a ,  74   b ) which is orientated parallel with the gripping axis ( 42 ). 
     
     
         27 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) cooperates with a locking portion ( 78 ) which is associated with the gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ), wherein the locking element ( 70   a ,  70   b ) and the locking portion are connected to each other in a positive-locking manner in the locking position of the locking element ( 78 ), wherein the positive-locking connection is active along a positive-locking axis ( 80 ) which extends at an angle to the gripping axis ( 42 ). 
     
     
         28 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) has at least one retention device ( 92 ) which is independent of the locking device ( 68   a ,  68   b ) for retaining the at least one gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) on the at least one adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ), wherein the retention device ( 92 ) has positive-locking elements ( 94 ,  96 ) which are associated with the gripping element ( 38 ,  39 ) and the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) and which are positive-locking with respect to each other along the gripping axis ( 42 ) in a state thereof joined together. 
     
     
         29 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the positive-locking elements ( 94 ,  96 ) comprise a first positive-locking element ( 94 ) which has a receiving region for receiving a projection which is formed on or by a second positive-locking element ( 96 ). 
     
     
         30 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) has at least one reduced pressure connection ( 100 ) which communicates with a reduced pressure device of the gripping element ( 12 ). 
     
     
         31 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the unlocking element ( 76   a ,  76   b ), when the base member ( 58 ) is connected to a robot ( 14 ), follows a handling movement of the robot ( 14 ). 
     
     
         32 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the unlocking element ( 76   a ,  76   b ) is arranged in a non-movable manner on the base member ( 58 ) and/or wherein the unlocking element ( 76   a ,  76   b ) is independent of a movement of the adapter portion ( 66 ,  67 ) relative to the base member ( 58 ). 
     
     
         33 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) has two gripping elements ( 38 ,  39 ) which form a gripping element pair ( 40 ), wherein the gripping elements ( 38 ,  39 ) can be releasably locked to respective adapter portions ( 66 ,  67 ) of the base member ( 58 ) and the gripping elements ( 38 ,  39 ) can be moved along the gripping axis ( 42 ) in mutually opposite directions. 
     
     
         34 . A system ( 10 ) comprising a gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 33  having a first gripping element pair ( 40 ), further comprising a second gripping element pair ( 41 ), a store ( 46 ) and a robot ( 14 ), wherein the base member ( 58 ) of the gripping apparatus ( 12 ) is arranged on an active region ( 36 ) of the robot ( 14 ). 
     
     
         35 . The system as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the store ( 46 ) has storage portions ( 50   a ,  50   b ) which are each constructed to store a gripping element pair ( 40 ,  41 ). 
     
     
         36 . The system as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein in a state of a gripping element pair ( 40 ,  41 ) stored on one of the storage portions ( 50   a ,  50   b ), this gripping element pair ( 40 ,  41 ) is retained in or on the store ( 46 ) in a positive-locking manner. 
     
     
         37 . The gripping apparatus ( 12 ) as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the positive-locking axis ( 80 ) extends perpendicularly to the gripping axis ( 42 ). 
     
     
         38 . The system ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the first gripping element pair ( 40 ) or the second gripping element pair ( 41 ) is releasably locked to the adapter portions ( 66 ,  67 ) of the base member ( 58 ) and wherein the other gripping element pair is stored in the store ( 46 ).